Adjustable light source mount for marine lanterns



ADJUSTABLE LIGHT SOURCE MOUNT FOR MARINE LANTERNS Filed July 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I48 INVENTOR. 56

ARTHUR M.TRoccoL| Ff q. i

Oct. 30, 1962 A. M. TROCCOLI ADJUSTABLE LIGHT SOURCE MOUNT FOR MARINE LANTERNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1960 INVENTOR ARTHUR M. TROCCOLI ATTORNEY xame a J United States Patent Ofilice 3,061,259 ADJUSTABLE LIGHT SOURCE MOUNT FOR MARINE LANTERNS Arthur M. Troccoli, Old Bridge, N.J., assignor to Elastic Stop Nut Corporation of America, Union, N'.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 29, 1960, Ser. No. 46,121 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-274) This invention relates to marine lanterns and particularly to improved universally adjustable mount assembly for positioning a light source relative to the focal point of a lens system.

In marine lanterns and particularly those employing a drum lens element of the character disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 46,246 filed July 29, 1960, assigned to the same assignee of the instant application, optimum optical performance can only be obtained when the light source is properly located relative to the focal point of the lens. As described in the above mentioned copending application, such marine lantern apparatus broadly includes a base member or lantern pot, a lens assembly mounting ring pivotally connected to said base member and securable in gas and water tight relation thereto, an omnidirectional drum lens member mounted on said ring, a cover member for said drum lens securable in gas and water tight relation to said ring and a contained bracket mounted lampchanger assembly for providing the light source for said lantern.

This invention may be briefly described as an improved mounting assembly for a lampchanger supporting bracket in marine lanterns of the type described that permits accurate manual adjustable positioning of the light source relative to the focal point of the lens system and replacement of the bracket mounted lampchanger assembly without disturbance of the focal point positioning of said light source. In its broader aspects the invention includes an adjustable tripod type mounting system for the selective manual positioning of a bracket mounted object relative to a predetermined point of reference.

The object of this invention is the provision of an improved universally adjustable mount for the selective manual positioning of a bracket mounted object relative to a predetermined point of reference.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an improved adjustable support for a bracket mounted lampchanger assembly in marine lanterns to permit the selective manual positioning of a light source relative to the focal point of a lens system and permits replacement of said bracket mounted lampchanger assembly without disturbance of the focal point positioning of said light source.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings which illustrates the principles underlying the invention and disclose, by way of illustrative example, the presently preferred construction for an improved support for a bracket mounted lampchanger assembly for marine lanterns incorporating those principles.

In the interests of brevity, the hereinafter enumerated drawings are particularly intended to illustrate the utilization of the invention in conjunction with a bracket mounted lampchanger assembly and in a specific lantern construction as set forth and described in detail in the above mentioned copending application.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a lens assembly mounting ring of the type incorporated in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 46,246.

FIGURE 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIGURE 1 taken in the direction of the arrows shown, but inverted.

Pursuant to the provisions of the patent statutes, the

aboveenumerated drawings are intended to be illustrative of the best mode presently contemplated by the invention for carrying out the invention and, as explained earlier,

are intended to specifically illustrate a structure incorporating the principles of this invention that would be in cluded in a marine lantern of the type disclosed and described in the aforesaid copending application. Such lanterns conventionally include a lampchanger assembly incorporating a plurality of light sources and is adapted to automatically replace the light source upon failure thereof. Such lampchanger assemblies are of conventional construction and commercially available assemblies thereof are well known to those skilled in this art. In the interests of clarity and brevity, therefore, the details of such a lampchanger mechanism will not be herein described, although, as explained later, such a unit will be assumed to be mounted on a bracket member sized and shaped to be cooperatively associated with the mounting system forming the subject matter of this invention.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES l, 2 and 3, there is illustrated a lens assembly mounting ring 26 suitably formed of cast aluminum with accurately machined surfaces and which, as described in detail in the abovementioned copending application, is adapted to support the lens system and to be disposed in gas and water tight hinged relation with a base member or lantern pot. The illustrated mounting ring 26 is in the form of an annular ring having a plurality of inwardly and upwardly directed, specifically three in the illustrated embodiment, integral lampchanger assembly mounting bracket support arms 76. Each of the support arms 76 has a non-rotatable dependent stud 78 terminally mounted thereon and provided with a flat 80 on the surface thereof.

Since each of the individual lampchanger mounting bracket positioning assemblies are identical in construction, only one thereof will be described in detail, it being understood that universal adjustment requires at least a tripod type mount and at least three such assemblies. As best shown in assembled relation in FIGURE 3, there is provided a biasing spring member disposed in surrounding relation with the stud 78 and positioned adjacent to the underside of the terminal portion of the support arm 76. Disposed beneath the spring member 140 and biased downwardly thereby is a bushing member 142 having an extending flanged top 150, a reduced diameter neck portion 152 and an enlarged body portion 154 having a threaded set screw receiving aperture 156 therein containing a set screw 144 positioned to engage the flat 80 on the stud 78. Surrounding the body portion 154 of the bushing 142 is a collar or cup member 146 having an enlarged aperture 147 in the side wall thereof to permit passage of the set screw 144 therethrough and a limited degree of displacement relative: to said bushing member. The collar member 146 is supported in surrounding relation to the stud 78 and bushing 142 by a manually rotatable Wing nut 148 and is biased downwardly relative tosaid bushing member by a spring washer 158 disposed intermediate thereof.

In operation of the unit, the terminal portion of one of the arms of a suitably shaped three armed lampchanger assembly mounting bracket 160, having a suitable U-shaped aperture 161 therein and having a conventional Patented Oct. 30, 1962 lampchanger assembly mounted thereon, is placed in surrounding relation with the reduced diameter neck portion 152 of the bushing 142. with its upper surface disposed beneath the lower surface of the flanged top portion thereon and its undersurface supported by the upper end of the collar 146. When the set screw 144 is backed off and disposed out of engagement with the flat 86 on the stud 78 vertical positioning of the terminal portion of said mounting bracket is effected by manipulation of the wing nut 148. Since the tripod type mount consists of three support arms, each with an independent adjusting mechanism as described above, a universally adjustable support is provided for the lantern light source. The desired positioning thereof may be effected by manipulation of the wing nuts 148 so as to align the light source filament with suitable target markers or other indicia indicative of a predetermined location therefor. When the light source filament, in the illustrated example, is properly positioned, the set screws 144 are tightened, thus locking the bushing members 142 on the studs 78 and fixing the position of the lampchanger assembly support bracket 160. Replacement of said bracket without disturbance of the setting thereof is readily effected by backing off the wing nuts 148 which serves to release the collar member 146 from compressive engagement against the underside of the terminal portion of the bracket arm 160 and permits the latter to be rotatably displaced out of engagement with the bushing 142. Since the set screw 144 fixes the position of the bushing 142 and thereby fixes the position of the mounting bracket, a new bracket may be inserted in lieu thereof and a tightening of the wing nuts 148 repositions the same in the identical position as the bracket mounting assembly previously removed therefrom.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the above described assembly permits removal and replacement of a bracket mounted lampchanger assembly in marine lanterns without the necessity of a refocussing operation upon replacement thereof. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the herein described tripod type mounting system may be utilized in other than marine lanterns and will be of general utility wherever universal positioning of a bracket mounted object relative to a predetermined point of reference is required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A mounting assembly for adjustably positioning an article supporting bracket comprising a fixed support arm, a stud member extending from said support arm, a bushing member having an extending top portion with an exposed undersurface and a dependent body portion mounted on said stud and longitudinally displaceable relative thereto, means disposed intermediate said support arm and the top of said bushing member for normally biasing the latter in a direction away from the support arm, a collar member disposed in surrounding relation to the body portion of said bushing member sized and shaped to have its upper defining edge selectively spaced from the exposed undersurface of the top portion of said bushing member for defining a bracket receiving location disposed therebetween, means for longitudinally displacing said bushing and collar member relative to said stud and means for selectively locking said bushing member at a selected location on said stud member to fix the position of said top portion thereof relative to said support arm.

2. A mounting assembly for adjustably positioning an article supporting bracket comprising a plurality of fixed supporting arms having terminal portions disposed in predetermined spatial relationship to each other, a stud member fixedly mounted in and dependent from the terminal portions of each of said support arms, a bushing member having an extending top portion with an exposed undersurface and a dependent body portion mounted on each of said studs and individually longitudinally displaceable relative thereto, means disposed intermediate the terminal portions of each of said support arms and the tops of said bushing members for normally biasing the latter in a direction remote from said support arms, a collar member disposed in surrounding relation to the body portion of each of said bushing members sized and shaped to have its upper defining edge selectively spaceable from. the exposed undersurface of the top portion of said bushing member for defining a bracket receiving location disposed therebetween, means for selectively displacing each of said bushing and collar members relative to their associated stud members and means for selectively locking each of said bushing members at a selected location on said stud members to fix the position of said top portions thereof relative to said support arms.

3. The mounting assembly as set forth in claim 2 incorporating three support arms disposed in predetermined spaced relation to each other.

4. The mounting assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means includes a set screw mounted in the body portion of said bushing member and engageable with the surface of the contained stud member.

5. A mounting assembly for adjustably positioning an article supporting bracket comprising a fixed support arm, a stud member dependent from said support arm and mounted in nonrotatable engagement therewith, a bushing member having an extending top portion with an exposed undersurface and a dependent body portion mounted on said stud and longitudinally displaceable relative thereto, a spring member disposed intermediate said support arm and the top of said bushing member for normally biasing the latter in a direction away from said support arm, a collar member disposed in surrounding relation to the body portion of said bushing member and of a longitudinal extent to have its upper defining edge selectively spaceable from the exposed undersurface of the top portion of said bushing member to accommodate a bracket member therebetween, means for longitudinally displacing said bushing and collar member in unison relative to said stud and means for selectively locking said bushing member at a selected location on said stud member to fix the position thereof relative to said support arm while permitting at least limited displacement of said collar member relative to said bushing member by displacement of said aforementioned means for longitudinally displacing said bushing and collar member in unison.

6. The adjustable mount as set forth in claim 5 including means disposed intermediate said bushing member and collar member for normally biasing said collar member in a direction away from said bushing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

